


The Elevator Where it Happens

by Esti7310



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Nonbinary Lafayette, Oh dear god I'm trash, post-college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-13 02:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5690707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esti7310/pseuds/Esti7310
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander meets his new neighbor (and possible crush) in an elevator, and gets some extra time to chat when it gets stuck between floors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, this is my first fic I've posted, so cut me some slack. I've been kinda (extremely) obsessed with this musical for a while and I will go down with this ship. I was planning on making this short, but I'm having fun with it so it's gonna be a few chapters. This one's kinda short, but the chapters will get longer.
> 
> I've never been stuck in an elevator, so I don't know the exact details of what you're supposed to do. I took some creative license with it.

It was a cold, early December morning in New York City, and Alexander Hamilton couldn't get to his apartment fast enough. Now matter how long he had lived here, no matter how many scarves and sweaters he piled on himself, the cold up north still felt foreign and slicing.

Finally, he reached his building, kicking snow off his boots and getting in one of the elevators for the sixth floor. At the last second, an unfamiliar man slid through the doors, greeting Alex with a polite smile. The first thing Alex noticed were the freckles peppering the stranger’s smooth brown skin. He had never seen anyone with so many freckles – they trailed over his nose and cheekbones, up to his forehead, around his eyes. The second thing he noticed was how undeniably cute this guy was. His eyes were a clear, deep brown, and his dark, perfect curls were pulled into a ponytail at the back of his head. He stood a couple of inches taller than Alex. His warm smile lit up the cold, grey morning.

Once he recovered a little from the complete adorableness in front of him, Alex smiled back at the man.

“Morning,” he said. “What floor?”

“Six for me, too,” said the man. “I just moved in.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Alexander,” he said, offering his hand. The man shook it, and Alex was struck by the warmth of the man’s firm grip.

“John. John Laurens,” the man replied. The ride continued in silence as the elevator passed the third floor, then the fourth. Alex glanced up at John at one point to find him staring back at him, and both men quickly looked away. Even though his clothes were still damp with snow, Alex suddenly felt hot and self-conscious. _Calm down, Alex,_ he thought. _It’s just a cute guy. You see them all the time. You don’t even know him. Breathe._

The elevator ground to a halt, and Alex glanced up at the doors.

They didn’t open.

“That’s… not supposed to happen,” said John, concerned. He tried the door open button and nothing happened. “I don’t think we’re on a floor.”

“I think you’re right, we just passed four a second ago,” replied Alex. “Maybe if we just wait a little…?”

The men waited in the elevator for a moment in silence.

“Well, this isn’t a great way to start my day,” joked John.

“Hey, at least I have company,” said Alex, turning to John with a smile. “So where did you move from?”

“South Carolina. I just graduated and I got a job at an aquarium and research lab up here. I love the city so far, but cold is awful.”

“Oh, yeah, I get that. I grew up south of here too,” said Alex. “It was worse when I first moved here, but I’m still not used to it. I love New York, though, it’s worth the winters. So much happening all the time, you know? So many things to do.”

“Yeah, that’s partly why I moved,” said John, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “I’m so happy to finally be out on my own. I can’t wait to get out, see the city. Just… not when it’s snowing.”

“Yeah, usually in the winter I only go out when I absolutely need to. I’m more productive in the winter anyway, there’s less distractions when you don’t want to leave your apartment.”

“I’m actually a little excited for my first real winter,” said John.

Alex made a face. “Oh, see how you feel in February." John laughed warmly, leaning against the wall next to him and locking eyes with Alex. Alex smiled back, his heart racing at those bright eyes and excited, intelligent face.

“So,” said John, breaking the silence, “Where are you from?” Alex fidgeted with his hands. Why, oh why, did this question always come up?

“Well, originally, I’m from Nevis, in the Caribbean,” he said, “But I’ve lived here since I was twelve, and I went to Columbia.” It wasn’t a lie, exactly, but Alex wasn’t about to say that he had moved here to live with a foster family after his last remaining relative committed suicide.

“Dude, the Caribbean? That’s awesome!”

“Uh huh,” said Alex, glancing around the floor of the elevator. “This is better, though. More happening.” It was time for a change of subject. “So what were you doing out so early?”

“Oh, just trying to get a taste of the city. I haven’t been out much yet, I just moved in and I’ve been busy unpacking. And you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, and Alex felt his heart flutter again at that expression. He scanned John’s freckles, and he just wanted to reach out and trace his fingers over them, tangle his hand in the chocolate curls.

“Getting coffee,” he said, holding up his enormous cup. “I have a lot of stuff to do today. Gotta stay awake.”

“With that much coffee you’ll be up all week,” said John. “What do you do?”

“I write,” said Alex. “And I’m working on a deadline right now, hence the early mornings. I love it, though, I can write forever. Sometimes I get a little caught up in my work and forget to, like, sleep and eat and stuff.”

John gave him an alarmed look. “How do you forget to sleep?” he asked.

“I can get pretty into what I’m writing.”

“That’s good,” he said. “I get that. I can be a little over-passionate about stuff too.” Alex couldn’t believe how well he was getting along with a complete stranger. He figured this was the longest conversation he’d had without picking a fight since he met his best friends, Hercules and Lafayette. And all because of a stuck elevator!

 _Oh, right,_ thought Alex, the reality of the situation hitting him over the head. _We’re still stuck in an elevator._

“Hey, um… Do you think we should maybe hit the emergency call button?” asked Alex.

“Oh, my god, duh. How long have we been sitting here?” John pressed the phone button and a voice crackled onto the speaker.

“Hello. Is there a problem?” asked a bored man’s voice.

“Um, yes, this elevator’s stuck. We tried hitting the door open button and nothing happened. I don’t think we’re on a floor.”

“How long have you been stuck?”

“Maybe five minutes? Ten?”

“And you waited that long to call?” the voice was amused now.

“...Yeah,” said John. “We, um, we thought the doors might open on their own if we waited.”

“I’ll tell maintenance. We should have you guys out in a couple of minutes. Not that you seem to mind waiting,” he added.

“Thanks,” said John, rolling his eyes.

The elevator was moving within a few minutes, and finally the doors slid open on the sixth floor. Both men turned left and started down the hallway, Alex stopping at the fourth door and pulling out his keys.

“Well,” he said, pausing outside his door, “I’ll see you around, John.”

“Bye, Alexander.”

“Oh, you can call me Alex,” said Alex quickly. “All my friends do.”

John’s face split into a grin. “So we’re friends?”

Alex shrugged. “I mean, we spent ten minutes talking in an elevator when we could have been out in less than five, so I think that’s enough to call us friends.”

John laughed. “Alright,” he said. “Can’t argue with that. I’ll see you around.”

Before he turned to go, John placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder. Alex felt the weight there and immediately wanted more – more contact between the two of them, or more time, or preferably both.

“Hey,” said John, “Thanks for making getting stuck in an elevator actually kinda fun.”

“No problem,” said Alex. He gave John one last smile and watched him head down the hallway. He had no idea how he would focus on his writing for the rest of the day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback hugely appreciated! Hope that didn't suck! Next chapter should be up soon, writing is my favorite way to procrastinate.


	2. Taking a break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John spends time with Alex and meets the friend gang. More fluff. So much fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huzzah, finished chapter 2! This one's a little longer, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Featuring Google Translate French (translations at the end).

“So you were stuck in an elevator with your new hot neighbor and you _didn’t get his number?_ ” said Lafayette, exasperated at their friend’s incompetence.

“I know, I know, I'm an idiot. But that’s not the point. I’m asking what I’m supposed to do now.”

Alex had been thinking that morning, and he figured Lafayette would be the best person to talk to. Even if they didn’t have any good suggestions, talking to them always cheered Alex up, and Alex had a tendency to immediately share updates of his love life. He had to admit he liked the attention a little bit.

“Well, you must know where he lives, no? Which apartment he’s in?”

“Um,” said Alex, “I know he’s on my floor, and further down my hall.”

“ _Mon cher,_ you are hopeless,” they said. Alex could practically hear them rolling their eyes. “Your best bet is to go stand in the elevator until the cute one shows up.”

“Laf, that’s not helpful,” Alex groaned.

“I don’t know, _mon ami._ Perhaps he’ll come to you. He knows where you live, after all. You’ll run into him at some point anyway.”

Alex sighed in frustration. Laf was right, but there was no way in hell Alex would just drop it and hope he happened to run into the guy again. He was certainly not the type to leave things up to luck or fate or any of that bullshit. For now, though, he had work to do. 

“Okay, well, thanks anyway. I'll figure something out, but I’ve gotta go write for a while.”

" _Bon chance,_ Alex. And don’t forget, Eliza and Angelica are having us over tonight. I’m giving you a ride.”

“I know, I’ll be waiting. Eight, right?”

" _Oui._ I’ll see you then.”

Alex hung up the phone and turned back to his laptop. He needed to get as much done as possible before tonight. Angelica and Eliza had their friend group over to their apartment at least once a week. Their place was the biggest, since two of them were living there together and their father had a decent-sized fortune. The get-togethers were fun, but Alex had so much to do.

Alex was so absorbed in his writing that he forgot about lunch, and by the time he realized he was hungry, it was four in the afternoon. He told himself to take a break in half an hour, and then forgot about that, too. It was five o’clock when a knock at his door finally pulled him away from his work.

Alex’s stomach flipped. John was standing in the doorway holding a plastic bag in his hand and grinning. His hair was loose around his shoulder, framing his beautiful face. Alex felt another urge to reach out and run a hand through the curls.

“John! I, um… I didn’t expect you already. Come in!” Alex moved out of the doorway and shut the door behind John.

“So I know I kind of don’t know you,” said John, “But I had some pasta left over from lunch, and I thought you might not remember things like food. And, you know,” he added, “That’s what friends do.” He twisted a curl nervously around his finger, looking shy. 

“Wow, that’s… that’s really thoughtful of you,” said Alex, almost struggling to form words. “I actually did forget about lunch, I was just getting hungry.”

“Perfect,” said John with a smile. “I can just leave this here if you’re busy-”

“Oh, no, it’s okay, you can stay,” said Alex quickly. “I mean, if you want to.”

“I’d like that,” said John. “We should probably get to know each other a little better. You know, being neighbors and elevator buddies.”

Alex couldn’t argue with that. He dumped the cheesy pasta with chicken into a bowl and stuck it in the microwave. John sat down on the couch.

“Do you want some of this?” asked Alex, carrying the bowl of pasta to the coffee table and sitting down next to John, leaving a couple of feet between them.

“No, thanks, I already ate. It’s all yours,” he said, smiling at Alex.

Alex ate the pasta faster than he really should have, but it was the best meal he’d had in a while.

“So what’d you study at Columbia?” asked John.

“PoliSci and journalism.”

“Oh, hey, you did PoliSci? I double majored in that and marine biology. I know it's a weird combination.”

"I bet it was interesting, though."

"Oh, yeah, both topics were fascinating."

John launched into telling Alex about his work at the aquarium, and the conversation continued long after the food was gone. John’s calm and joking manner made him easy to talk to, and he was surprisingly open with Alex, telling him all about his family and his childhood.

“My parents aren’t great. I mean, it’s not awful, but we’ve never been on the best terms. My mom’s fine, but my dad’s never liked me. Especially not since I came out to him last spring, that didn’t go over well.” His tone sounded like he was straining to keep the conversation casual with this new piece of information.

Alex jerked his head up and looked into John’s face. He was twisting a strand of hair around his fingers again, and nervous eyes flickered up to meet Alex’s.

“So you’re not straight?”

“Nope, definitely not,” he said with a small smile. “I’m gay.”

“Cool, man,” said Alex, grinning. “I’m bisexual.”

John’s eyes widened. “No way!”

“Yep. Honestly, did you think I was straight?”

John laughed a little. “I wasn’t sure. I’m not really that used to meeting other queer people, we tend to keep it quiet in the south. Like, I didn’t tell anyone in college.”

“ _No one?_ ”

“Nope. I was worried my dad would stop paying for school if he found out, so I waited until I graduated to tell him. And then I moved here.”

Alex couldn’t picture being completely in the closet. He'd been out since before some of his classmates knew what the word _bisexual_ meant. He’d been in charge of his high school GSA and helped run the club at Columbia, with a boyfriend or two in those years – nothing that lasted, but still, he couldn’t imagine keeping it quiet.

“So your dad’s not happy with it?”

“Definitely not. I haven’t talked to him in a few months.”

Alex instinctively reached out a hand and placed it comfortingly on John’s thigh. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “That sucks.”

“Thanks,” said John. He placed his hand over Alex’s. “But it’s okay. I’m in New York, with a great opportunity. And I already know someone amazing.” The shy look had returned to his eyes.

Alex grinned. He flipped his hand around and laced his fingers with John’s. “I’m glad you’re liking it here.”

John squeezed Alex’s hand back. “I really am, Alex.”

Alex was just starting to wonder whether or not he should pull his hand away or move closer when he heard another knock at the door. He jumped up, startled. “Shit, what time is it?” he muttered, checking his watch. He was supposed to be outside waiting for Lafayette ten minutes ago.

Alex opened the door. It was Laf, looking slightly annoyed and texting. “There you are! Did you forget about tonight? We said eight, and you weren’t – oh! _Qui est-il?_ ” They had spotted John and raised an eyebrow at Alex.

“Laf, this is John, my new neighbor,” said Alex, hoping and praying that Laf wouldn’t indicate that they already knew about John. “John, this is my friend Lafayette.”

“Well, it looks like you’re, eh… _occupied_ at the moment. Should I go on without you, _mon ami_?”

Alex glanced between Laf and John. “ _Penses-tu qu'il peut nous rejoindre?_ ” he asked Laf.

“I don’t see why not. _Les Schuyler aimeront le rencontrer,_ ” they said.

“ _Tu as parle aux Schuyler sur lui?_ ” Alex asked in exasperation.

“We were discussing how hopeless and dramatic you are and it seemed to be on the subject,” said Laf with a smirk.

Alex turned to John, who looked thoroughly confused. “John, Laf and I and some other friends are getting together tonight to hang out. You want to come?”

John’s face lit up. “Could I? I mean, I don’t want to intrude, but I don’t really have friends here yet, and I want to meet people.”

“We’d _love_ to get to know you,” said Laf with a look at Alex, who glared back at them.

John went to grab his bag from the couch and Laf leaned over to whisper to Alex.

“Were you two making out?”

Alex swatted their upper arm. “No, we were just talking. For a couple hours.”

Laf grinned. “I’m happy for you, _mon cher_. You were right, he is cute. And his eyes are sprouting hearts whenever he looks at you.”

Alex really needed to stop blushing. “I’m sure that’s not true…”

Laf rolled their eyes. “You’re blind, _mon ami._ ”

John came back in with his coat and jacket and the trio took the (now working) elevator downstairs. Alex texted Eliza as they drove.

 

**Sent 8:22 pm**

**Alex: Sorry we’re a little late, I was with a friend and we’re bringing him along. Hope that’s ok?**

**Eliza: Absolutely! Is this hot elevator man?**

**Sent 8:23 pm**

**Alex: …**

**Eliza: YESSS i need to meet him. You’re unbelievable, how did you manage to get stuck in an elevator with a cute guy?**

**Alex: No idea.**

**Sent 8:25 pm**

**Alex: Almost there.**

 

Laf lead the way up the stairs to the second floor of the upscale apartment complex.

“Are you sure I’m not intruding?” asked John nervously.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I texted Eliza, she knows you’re coming and she’s cool with it.”

Angelica opened the door on Laf’s first knock.

“There you are!” she said, grinning and letting them in. “We were about to start the movie without you.”

“Oh no,” said Alex, “You picked one out already?”

“Pride and Prejudice!” called Eliza from her large armchair. “I’ve never seen it!”

Alex groaned. Leave it to his friends to pick a sappy romance movie the night he brought John. Alex had never actually seen it either, but he braced himself for the worst as he sat down on the couch.

“What’s wrong with Pride and Prejudice?” said John, nudging Alex. “It’s great. A classic.”

Eliza smiled at John. “I like this one. Good movie tastes.”

“So,” said Angelica, turning to him, “You’re John. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”

“I told her you were coming,” said Alex quickly.

“Right,” said Angelica, smirking at him. “Anyway, make yourself comfortable. Hercules is making popcorn.”

John plopped down next to Alex, leaving a few inches of space between them. Laf came in and motioned for John to move closer so they could sit on his other side. By the time everyone was seated, John’s shoulder and knee were pressed against Alex – not that he was complaining.

"So, are you new in town?" asked Eliza. At least she had the tact to pretend not to know anything about John yet.

"Yeah, I just moved in a few days ago."

"Where from?"

"South Carolina."

The friends continued making small talk while the movie loaded. It was clear that John would fit in perfectly with the group. It didn't seem at all strange to have him there at the apartment laughing along with them. It was as if he was always meant to be a part of their group. 

Popcorn was passed around and the movie was started. Alex only interrupted a couple of times to comment on historical inaccuracies, differences between the movie and the book, and unrealistic plot points. The group had to stop him and John from starting conversations over these multiple time. By the time Mr. Darcy was first proposing to Elizabeth, a scene that Alex thought was ridiculously overdramatic (In the pouring rain on abandoned steps? Really?), John was leaning forward a little, completely absorbed in the movie.

Alex went back and forth between focusing on the plot and focusing on John. His curls, his attentive eyes, his smiles at all his favorite parts, his lips as popcorn passed them… He couldn’t just sit here the whole time. Alex took a deep breath and placed his hand over John’s.

John glanced down, slightly surprised, but recovered quickly. He laced their fingers together and leaned closer into Alex. Alex could feel the warmth from his strong body. After a few minutes, he leaned his head on John’s shoulder.

When the credits finally rolled, Alex had to admit that it hadn’t been as bad as he’d thought, even if he had some criticisms. He really didn’t feel like getting up, wanting to keep John pressed to him as long as possible.

Eliza sighed happily, turning off the TV. “That was great,” she said. “I can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before.”

Hercules shrugged. “Not bad. I still think a Star Wars marathon was the way to go, but whatever.”

Laf nudged Herc and pointed over at where John and Alex were cuddled on the couch, smirking. Eliza frowned at them and swatted their arm.  _Thank god for Eliza,_ thought Alex.  _They'd have pictures of this pinned to their walls if she wasn't here to shut them up._

“So now what?” said Angelica. “It’s not that late.”

“I think we should get to know John,” said Laf brightly. “After all, he already seems, ah, _close_ with Alex.”

John sat up a little straighter and unclasped his hand from Alex’s, twisting a curl around his fingers. An adorable blush crept over his freckled cheeks. Alex’s hand felt cold and empty.

“Well,” said John, “I met Alex this morning when we were stuck in the elevator, and then I went over this afternoon with leftover pasta because he mentioned he forgets about stuff like eating.”

“Oh, thank god,” said Angelica, “Finally someone to make sure he remembers basic needs.”

“Are you not sleeping again?” said Eliza, studying his eyes. “You know it just makes your work worse.”

“No, I got, like, a full four hours last night.”

Anglica rolled her eyes. “John, you might want to pop in to make sure he sleeps a reasonable amount.”

“ _Si il est pas déjà passer la nuit avec vous,_ ” said Laf to Alex.

“Oh, shut up,” grumbled Alex.

“Nope,” said Herc in exasperation, “You’re not allowed to start this. No French.”

The rest of the night and the car ride home passed pretty uneventfully, and Alex finally got John’s number, which he saved in his phone as “John <3 <3 <3.”

“You gonna sleep tonight?” asked John jokingly as they reached their floor back in their building.

“God, what are you, my mom?” said Alex, pushing him lightly and laughing.

“Angelica seemed like she'd murder me in my sleep if I didn't keep you in check.”

“That she would. Yes, I’ll go to bed.”

“Okay. Good night, Alex.”

“Night, John.”

John leaned down and kissed Alex’s forehead. His lips were warm and soft, and Alex closed his eyes to fully savor the moment. One of John’s curls tickled his cheek. It ended too soon, and John headed into his apartment without another word, running a hand through his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :) feedback appreciated!!!
> 
> Bon chance - good luck  
> Qui est-il? - who is this?  
> Pensez-tu qu'il peut nous rejoindre? - Do you think he could join us?  
> Les Schuyler aimeront le rencontrer - The Schuylers would love to meet him  
> Tu as parle aux Schuyler sur lui? - You already told the Schuylers about him?  
> Si il est pas déjà passer la nuit avec vous - If he's not already spending the night with you


	3. Back to work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright y'all, one more done! It's a little longer again, and I knew from the beginning that I wanted to switch the perspective for a chapter so... here you go. Hope you like it!

_Oh my god, did I just do that? Did I just kiss a guy I barely know? What the fuck, Laurens?_

John’s head was flooding with horrified thoughts at what he’d just done. He’d finally made a friend in New York, and he had to go and make it awkward. He hadn’t even said anything to Alex after kissing his forehead, just turned and hurried into his room.

But maybe he was overthinking this. After all, Alex hadn’t said anything about it, and his friend group seemed very affectionate. Maybe he wouldn’t read into the kiss.

Or maybe he _would_ read into it, and he would like it, and he would knock on John’s door late at night and kiss him back…

_Nope,_ thought John firmly to himself. _Nope, nope, nope. Don’t think about it, don’t get your hopes up._ John hadn’t worked his ass off to get to New York just to be distracted by Alex. He needed to focus on his job and on building his life. And he wasn’t even sure he liked Alex romantically yet. Of course he felt drawn to Alex – he was the first person his age John had really talked to since he moved, and it was always nice to meet other queer people, especially now that he felt comfortable coming out to them. He didn’t want to mess up his first friend here. He wouldn't think about Alex as anything more than a friend, not yet.

He liked all of Alex’s friends, too, but he felt more immediately connected to Alex. It was like he already knew him. He had come out to Alex in their second conversation, which had stunned John. He hadn’t planned on having those words spill out of his mouth all of a sudden, but he was immediately glad they did. It was so weird, so different to enter a friend group with people knowing and accepting him as queer and not treating him any differently. It was good to be out of South Carolina.

John was tired after his long day, and it was already past one. He got into bed and his mind went back to the forehead kiss again as he drifted off to sleep. Just for a second, he let himself think back on the night – The feeling of Alex’s hand gripped in his, Alex’s head leaning on his shoulder, the smell of Alex’s hair. He couldn’t dwell on it, though. There just wasn’t time to get stupid crushes.

Sunday passed without any run-ins with Alex, and John decided against going over or texting since they’d hung out for so long the day before. Instead, he got some work done and saw a little bit of the city on a walk.

Monday morning came again, and John headed to the subway. He was didn’t mind his job. He was hoping to eventually do something more related to political science, but it was good to finally be working. Right now his boss was sort of tossing him in wherever she needed people, but John was okay with that.

He got to the aquarium early and had enough time to take the long way to the lab. This route swung by the sea turtle tanks, where John spent a lot of his free time. There was already a school group there – John would guess preschoolers. He stood back from the rowdy bunch and watched a turtle glide down to the glass, floating perfectly and gracefully through the water. John was snapped out of his turtle-induced reverie by an excited voice.

“John!”

He spun around and was surprised to see Eliza waving at him from the group of preschoolers. She was talking to a little boy.

“Jason, stop knocking on the glass.”

“Why, Miss Schuyler?”  
“It’ll make the turtle sad.”

“Oh. Sorry,” said the boy, addressing the turtle.

Eliza turned to John and grinned. “So this is where you work?”

“Yep. I’m up in the lab most of the time.”

“That’s awesome, it’s great here. Best field trip spot in a while. I teach preschool, it’s- Jazz, sweetie, don’t touch that, it’s covered in germs,” she said, turning to a girl poking at a piece of chewed gum on the railing.

John watched the chaotic group. “This looks exhausting.”

“Sometimes it is, but they’re mostly really cute.”

John raised an eyebrow skeptically and Eliza laughed.

“Anyway,” she said, “Have you talked to Alex?”  
“No, not since Saturday night. Have you?”  
“We texted on Sunday. He was talking to me about your elevator fiasco.”

John smiled. “It wasn’t a fiasco. I met Alex.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow. “So that made it worthwhile?”

John twisted a curl around his fingers. “Um, I mean, I’d rather not get stuck in elevators, but, like, at least I had someone to talk to.”

Eliza nodded. “Right. It seemed like you guys were getting along really well.”

Now John was sure she was trying to ask him about his possible feelings for Alex, and he felt himself blushing. Time to go. He checked his watch and smiled at Eliza.

“Hey, I should run. Good luck with the kids!”

“Thanks, John,” she said. “Have a good day!”

John turned and headed upstairs in a hurry. Great. Now Eliza thought he liked Alex, and John didn’t even know if he did. _You don’t,_ he told himself firmly as he pushed open the door to the lab. _It’s just naturally being drawn to your first friend here. That’s it._ The last thing John wanted to do was cause drama in Alex’s friend group.

 

The rest of the day passed slowly, and John was relieved when his building was finally in sight. He rode the elevator to his floor and hesitated as he passed Alex’s door. He had an urge to knock, just to say hi or something, but he walked on. Alex was probably busy. John settled for texting him. He turned on his phone, which he kept off at work (he rarely needed to text anyone and he had his laptop), and saw a text from Alex already waiting for him.

 

**Sent 11:34 am**

**Alex: So I hear you met Eliza and the mob of toddlers?**

**Sent 5:47 pm**

**John: Yeah, I did. It looked crazy**

**Alex: I could never do that job, but Eliza’s perfect for it.**

**Sent 5:48 pm**

**Alex: Hey, I got done early today and I’m starving. You want to go to the pizza place across the street?**

**John: Yeah, that sounds great.**

**Alex: Perfect! meet me outside in 10?**

**Sent 5:49 pm**

**John: Sounds good :) see you soon.**

 

John puzzled over the texts for a few minutes. Was Alex asking him out? He knew friends could go out for pizza, but given how flirty Alex had been on Saturday night, he wasn’t sure if “friends” was the right word.

_Do I want Alex to be asking me out?_

The question hit John like a truck, and the answer was already there. _Yes._ Yes, he wanted to go on a real date with Alexander Hamilton. Alex was everything John loved – handsome, intelligent, caring, just a little bit ridiculous. He wanted to hold hands and cuddle and do all kinds of cheesy cliché couple things. Finally admitting his crush to himself made John suddenly nervous to see Alex. His stomach filled with an uneasy (but not entirely unpleasant) feeling as he picked out a nicer shirt and carefully pulled his curls into a ponytail.

He was throwing a few things into his backpack when his phone lit up again. John glanced down, and his stomach sank, the nervous excitement of seeing Alex flooding out of him as fast as it had come. It was a call from his dad.

“Hello?” he said, answering hesitantly.

“Hello, John. I was just calling to make sure you’d settled in okay,” he said, his voice formal and stiff.

“Yeah, I have. Everything’s going well.”

“That’s good to hear. Your apartment’s good?”

“Yep.”

“Good.”

The conversation hit a speed bump. John wasn’t sure what to say to his father. After all, they hadn’t exactly parted on good terms.

“Listen, John,” said his father, “You know I don’t agree with some of your choices, but I hope we can still have a trusting and friendly relationship.”

“By friendly, do you mean yelling at your fag son to get out of your life?” asked John, his voice turning icy. He had no forgiveness for his father, not yet.

“John, you’re bending my words. You should’ve expected me to overreact when you dropped an admission that large on me all of a sudden. That’s not what I called about. I just wanted a father-to-son conversation, just wanted to ask about work and the move.”

“Yeah, you gave up a pleasant father-son dynamic.”

“John, you’re being ridiculous-”

“I have to go, dad,” John said harshly. “I have a date. He’s waiting.” He hoped those words had felt like a punch in the stomach to his dad.

John hit the end call button on his phone and took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself. Alex was already in the hall when John left his apartment, and just seeing him there took John’s mind off his dad a bit. Alex spotted him and grinned.

“John! Long time no see!”

“I mean, two days, but sure,” said John, grinning back. His stomach flipped over.

“Holy shit, only two days? It’s been a long Monday, I guess.”

“Amen to that,” said John.

The duo made their way across the street to a small pizza shop blasting classic rock over fuzzy speakers. Their slices were huge and hot and dripping with grease, just how John liked them. This was exactly what he needed after his rocky Monday. He and Alex took seats in stools at the high table along the window, watching the traffic. John’s mind drifted back to the phone call.

“Long day?” asked Alex. “You seem quiet.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I was just thinking.”

“What about?”

“You.”

Silence hung in the air like a thick fog. John felt a crimson blush rushing over his cheeks.

“I mean, my dad called. He was asking me about friends and stuff here.”

“How did that go?”

John sighed, glanced up at Alex, and spoke quietly. “I don’t know, I… I don’t see a point talking to my dad much anymore, so I haven’t called him. I talked to my mom twice. I just…” John suddenly felt like he might cry in the middle of a pizza shop. He’d never opened up to someone like this before, and he found that talking helped him process all the information. Putting it into words, even though his were jumbled, was like plugging the events and conflicts into a map that he could read again later, a way to think about everything so that it all had clear causes and effects and made sense.

John felt Alex’s hand rest lightly on his thigh again and took it.

“I just can’t forgive him for all the shit he said, you know? Like, I just want him to stop popping into my life. I moved to get away from how negative he was, and having him call me and pretend there’s no problem is… I don’t know.”

“I understand,” said Alex, listening carefully to John. “Like he’s shrugging off something that can never be resolved and you want him to at least acknowledge what he said and figure things out and apologize.”

“Exactly,” said John. He had no idea how Alex had put the words together so perfectly, better than John could himself. His mind cleared a little more as words were put to his feelings, which suddenly seemed a little more understandable. He felt like he could focus on regular conversation now.

“Anyway,” said John, his smile coming back, “I don’t want to bore you with family drama. How was work?”

“It was great,” said Alex. “I got so much done today. Mostly because I got up at five and didn’t take a break all day, but it was worth it. I turned in my work three days before my deadline.” He sounded so genuinely excited about his work, which was adorable. “And you, John?”

“Eh, it was fine, I guess. The boss had me helping out with a few different projects, which is okay, but I want her to give me something of my own at some point.”

Alex nodded. “Do you want to stay in biology?”

“No,” said John. “There’s nothing wrong with it, but I wanted to do something more activism-related. Maybe start with work for a non-profit or something and see where it goes.”  
“That’s awesome,” said Alex. “What kind of non-profit? Any ideas?”

John shrugged. “I’m kind of taking it one step at a time. Something where I can actually make some sort of impact.”

“That’s sort of what I was thinking, too. I want to eventually be a speech writer. Preferably for the president or something, but, you know, I’d settle for a lower level official. Or maybe I could be in the government and write my own speeches. It’s a win-win.”

John raised his eyebrows. “Aiming high,” he said.

“Definitely,” said Alex, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm and an adorable grin covering his face. John couldn’t help but smile back.

The next hour flew by, and neither of them wanted to go back, but they both had to work the next day. Alex stopped outside of his apartment and smiled up at John.

“Thanks for coming. It was fun.”

“Yeah,” said John. “Any time.”

“I’ll see you around.” Alex turned back into his apartment with a small wave.

“Wait, Alex,” said John, catching his elbow. “Thank you. For talking to me about my dad.”

“Oh,” said Alex, surprised. “It was nothing, really.”

“No, it wasn’t. It meant a lot.”

Alex traced his hand down John’s arm, making him shiver. _God,_ he was hot.

“I’m glad I could help, John. You can text me if you need anything. Okay?”

John smiled at him. “I thought it was my job to make sure _you_ were keeping track of basic needs.”

“Can’t I do a little favor for a friend?” asked Alex jokingly.

“Fine. I’ll text you sometime.”

“Good.”

They stood outside the door for another moment before Alex gave John one last smile and disappeared inside.

_Fantastic,_ thought John, _an honest-to-god crush on an amazingly attractive guy, and it’s only my second week here._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcomed as usual :) I hope the switched perspective thing worked, I wasn't sure about it, but it felt like the right way to do this chapter and build up John's character. I'm planning on going back to Alex's perspective for the rest of the fic.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this last chapter took FOREVER to write, I had like 3 different endings written before I finally felt like I got it right. I think I need to see a dentist, all this sweet can't possibly be good for me. Seriously, this is disgustingly fluffy and cheesy. Hope y'all like it :) (French translations at the end)

Alex had no idea what to do. Usually, he was anything but hesitant to tell someone his feelings, but John was different. He was being cautious this time. He partly blamed Eliza for this mindset. He reread her advice from Saturday night after the crew had hung out together.

**Sent 1:02 am**

**Alex: So what’d you think of John?**

**Eliza: He’s really cool! Nice and smart.**

**Eliza: Also, your crush was showing. It’s adorable.**

**Sent 1:03 am**

**Alex: Is it that obvious?**

**Eliza: You were basically cuddling. You held hands.**

**Alex: Friends can do that too**

**Eliza: Right. Just bros being bros.**

**Sent 1:04 am**

**Alex:** **…**

**Alex: Okay he’s really attractive**

**Alex: I mean did you see his hair**

**Alex: and his eyes?!?**

**Alex: Those freckles. oh my god.**

**Alex: Also his voice is fucking hot. He could probably be a singer. Like, on Broadway.**

**Alex: And his freckles are adorable**

**Sent 1:05 am**

**Eliza: Called it.**

**Alex: Eliza help what do i do**

**Alex: How do I ask him out? When?**

**Sent 1:06 am**

**Eliza: Okay I know you love rushing into things but give it a little time**

**Eliza: He just moved, he’s been totally in the closet his whole life**

**Sent 1:07 am**

**Eliza: Just get to know him as a friend first. Be a little cautious this time.**

**Sent 1:08 am**

**Alex: I hate waiting**

**Eliza: Is this like a normal crush or a serious crush?**

**Alex: Not sure**

**Sent 1:09 am**

**Alex: Okay, it’s not exactly just normal. I like him a lot.**

**Eliza: Then you don’t want to screw it up and make him uncomfortable**

**Sent 1:11 am**

**Alex: I hate to say it**

**Alex: But you’re probably right**

**Eliza: Is this news**

**Alex: Nope**

**Sent 1:12 am**

**Eliza: okay I’m going to bed**

**Alex: Night**

**Sent 1:13 am**

**Alex: Thanks for being my impulse control**

**Eliza: Anytime <3**

**Sent 1:32 am**

**Alex: Did I mention his freckles?**

 

Now Alex really didn’t know what to do. Had their pizza outing been a date? It had sure felt like a date. They had held hands and spent an hour just talking, and Alex had to stop himself from leaning forward and pressing his lips to John’s half a dozen times. If John had thought of it as a date, then Alex figured this was as good a time as any to tell him how he felt, but he wasn't sure.

He was still wallowing in self pity when he heard a knock and a voice at the door.

“ _Mon ami! C'est moi!_ ”

Alex smiled and got up to let Laf in. It wasn’t unusual for them to drop by unannounced at odd hours.

“Laf! It’s good to see you, I need something to do tonight,” said Alex, opening the door. “I finished my work early.”

Laf smiled, dropping their bag onto Alex’s couch and kicking snow off their boots.

“The weather is  _très horrible,_ ” they said. “It’s icy. We’re meant to get a full foot of snow tonight.”

“Yeah, I know. I went out earlier.”

Laf raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Where? And with whom?”

“Just across the street for dinner. With John.”

Laf plopped down onto the couch, their eyes widening. “On a _date? Dis moi tout._ ”

“Well, not a real date,” Alex admitted. “I mean, neither of us said it was a date. But we were out for over an hour. We held hands. We talked a lot.”

Laf grinned at Alex. “So, when are you going to confess your undying love?”

“I’m not,” said Alex. “Not now.”

“ _Que?!?_ ”

“I don’t want to mess it up. I’m being careful.”

“Since when are you careful? You are the opposite of careful.”

Alex just glanced away, picking up a stray pen on the couch and fidgeting with it for something to do.

Laf’s expression softened. “This is more than a crush, isn’t it, _mon cher_? You’re worried because you really care about him.”

Alex shrugged, still not looking at his friend. Sometimes he hated how perceptive Laf could be; none of his feelings could stay private.

“Alex,” said Laf, “He shares your feelings. _C'est évident_.”

“I don’t know, Laf…”

“Have you asked Eliza? Or perhaps Angelica? I’m sure they would agree.”

“Eliza told me to take it slow and be careful. I talked to her on Saturday.”

“Saturday was before your date tonight.”

“It wasn’t a date, Laf. And everyone loves Eliza, she must know what she’s talking about.”

“I’m _positive_ that after your date, her advice has changed.”

“But what if I-”

“Enough with that,” said Laf. “I’ve seen you fight with everyone from Angelica Schuyler to the president of Columbia University, all without hesitation. _Tu peux parler à John Laurens_.”

Alex thought about this, chewing the top of his pen.

“I’ll think about it.”

Laf sighed. They knew Alex wouldn’t budge, and even if he’d been convinced, he wouldn’t let it show.

“Maybe I’ll see John tomorrow,” said Alex, deep in thought. “He might not be going out if the snow keeps up.”

“Speaking of the weather, I should go before it gets worse,” said Laf, standing and shrugging on their coat. “Text me, yes?”

“I will,” said Alex. “Thanks for helping, I guess.”

“Of course. _Bon chance,_ Alex.”

Alex watched the snow fall outside. He was freezing, even though his heat was turned way up. It was like just thinking of the snow outside made him cold. He set a kettle of water on the stove for tea before bed and was heading to the couch with a blanket and his laptop when he heard another knock at the door. _It’s probably Laf,_ thought Alex, _forgetting something as usual._

He was wrong; it wasn’t Laf standing outside, but John, wearing jeans and a grey aquarium sweatshirt with a dolphin on it. Alex was slightly taken aback to see him, but not at all upset.

“John! Come in!” he said, smiling and stepping aside.

John hesitated. “Hi. Um… Laf said I should come over?”

“They did?”

“Well, not exactly in those words, but it was implied.”

“What do you mean?”

John turned his phone over in his hands. “They said something about you not liking storms and they kept going on about how they wished they could stay and be a good friend but they really had to go, and I asked if I should invite you over and they told me I should just come over and check on you.”

Alex frantically tried to process this while looking calm. _I’m going to kill Laf,_ thought Alex, _springing John on me like this._

“Sorry, I know Laf probably meant, like, tomorrow, or later or something, but I just thought-”

“No, no, it’s fine!” said Alex quickly. He certainly didn’t want John to feel unwelcome. “You're always welcome to drop by. Do you want some tea? Or hot chocolate? This water should be hot by now.”

“Tea sounds really good,” said John, twisting a curl around his fingers.

Alex dropped tea bags in two steaming mugs and carried them to the couch, handing one to John.

“Blanket?” he asked, pulling it over him and offering the other half to John. He took it hesitantly and drank his tea in silence. Alex’s stomach was fluttering with nerves. This was the closest he and John had ever been while they were alone. He texted Laf, trying to figure out what was going on.

**Sent 10:47 pm**

**Alex: Laf what the fuck**

**Alex: Why is John here?**

**Alex: I mean I’m not complaining but I was not prepared**

**Sent 10:48 pm**

**Laf: You weren’t going to do anything, I was just speeding up the process.**

**Laf: If it makes you feel better, Eliza and Angie both said I should do it**

**Sent 10:49 pm**

**Alex: If this blows up I’m sending your ass back to France**

**Laf: Is this a bad thing?**

“So,” said John, breaking the comfortable silence, “You don’t like storms?”

“Well,” said Alex, “It’s more rain storms I don’t like. Snow on the ground is a pain, but it’s not like it’s awful.”

“What’s wrong with rain?”

Alex paused for a second before he told John. “I lived through a hurricane in the Caribbean. It was bad. There was flooding and people I knew drowned. People I cared about. I still get a little anxious in storms.”

Alex glanced up to see how John would react. He always delivered this information quickly and bluntly. He hated telling this story because of the inevitable pity, hated the ‘I’m sorry’s and the ‘Are you okay?’s and _especially_ the ‘Wow, you’re so lucky you survived’. He wanted to win people over with his talent and determination, not his oh-so-tragic past.

He should’ve known John wouldn’t react in the ways he hated and was used to. He reached out and put a hand on Alex’s shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

“Do you want to talk about it, or no?”

“Not now,” said Alex.

“Okay,” said John. “I know that’s probably not easy, so… anytime you need me, okay?”

“Thanks, John.” Alex remembered something that he’d wanted to ask John about. “And I know we talked about it earlier, but… what happened with your dad?”

John sighed. “Oh, you know, he’s your typical white southerner. Racist, sexist, homophobic, that whole deal.”

“And he… doesn’t like you?”

“That’s one way to put it,” said John. “He was pissed when I came out to him. Told me to get out. At least it got him to let me leave, though, he’d wanted me to stay in South Carolina until then.”

Alex frowned, setting down his mug. "What the  _fuck_. How awful of a person do you have to be to disown your own  _son_ for something like that? I'm all for holding your beliefs but not when they're that idiotic, not when they hurt people and tell people how they should be living their personal lives. What kind of person looks at you and shrugs off everything good because of that one thing?"

Alex was a little surprised at how much he hated John's father, given that they'd never even met. He just couldn't see anyone hating John for something so trivial, and John was... John. He didn't deserve this hurt. He deserved nothing but love and understanding and his dad was everything but that. 

"I know," said John, his voice quiet but full of anger. "It sucks." He set down his mug. "And I know he's wrong, and I know it's dumb, but it's still hard not to... to think about what he says sometimes. It was hard, growing up in that kind of environment."

Alex looked up at his friend and grabbed his hands. "John, listen. The last thing you need is validation from people like your dad. They don't know anything, and they're missing out by not having you in their lives. I’m always down to go beat up your dad for you.”

John grinned. “As long as I get to help.”

“Of course, John.”

They looked up at each other right then, falling silent as their eyes met. Alex’s stomach dropped as he registered how close they were and took in all of John, as if he were seeing him for the first time again. Alex was noticing every detail; every freckle, every shade in John’s eyes, every perfect feature of his beautiful face. John blushed and pulled a strand of hair around his fingers.

“Why are you doing that?” asked Alex, his voice falling quiet.

“Doing what?”

“Twisting a curl around. You always do it when you’re nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” whispered John, dropping his hair and blushing even brighter. Their faces were inches apart now, and Alex could feel John’s breath. He reached out and tangled a hand in John’s curls, breathing in his pine-y scent.

“You were doing your nervous hair thing.”

“Okay, maybe I’m a little nervous.”

“Why, John?”

“I don’t want to mess anything up, Alexander.”

Just like everything with John, it felt so _natural,_ at that moment, for Alex to close the space between them and press his lips to John’s. John sucked in a breath, seemingly surprised. It was short, lasting barely three seconds, but it was enough to fill Alex with something light and happy, enough to make him feel like he could just float up and nothing would ever be wrong again.

Alex pulled away slowly, keeping his eyes closed and leaning his forehead against John’s, waiting for him to react. 

“Alex, did… _what?”_ he heard John whisper, feeling his warm, tea-scented breath against his lips.

Alex laughed quietly, giddy happiness flooding through him.

“Alexander, wait. What did that… what did it mean?”

Alex locked his fingers together behind John’s neck and looked up at him, the man he’d finally, _finally_ kissed after thinking about it for so long.

“It means I’m in love with you, John Laurens. It means I’ve had feelings for you since that goddamn elevator got stuck.”

John didn’t say anything, just closed his eyes. Alex suddenly wondered if maybe he’d moved too fast, said the wrong thing.

“But… but it doesn’t have to change anything,” he said quickly.

“No, Alex-”

“I’m sorry, John, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I know you’re busy with work and settling in and-”

“Alex.”

“I know I just made your first friendship here weird and you probably-”

“ _Alexander._ ”

Alex trailed off, looking up at John.

"I'm in love with you, Alexander."

That had effectively shut Alex up, for once. John pulled Alex closer again, touching their foreheads together.

“Alex, it’s okay,” whispered John, a soft smile crossing his face. “You’re not a distraction, and I’m not sorry I met you, not by a long shot. You didn’t mess anything up, I promise.”

“So…” said Alex hesitantly.

John took a deep, nervous breath. “Alexander, I’ve never felt this strongly for anyone before. You’re… you’re smart and passionate and caring and…” he broke off, laughing a little. “Shit, I suck at words.”

“No,” whispered Alex through a smile, “It’s not you. It’s because there _aren’t_ words.”

“Maybe we should stop trying, then.”

This time they leaned together, both expecting the kiss, both sure that the other wanted this. Alex couldn't possibly have imagined this – it was passionate and messy and sweet all at once, and all Alex could think about was how strong his feelings for John were.  He was hyper-aware of himself and of John, feeling every one of John's breaths and savoring the exact feeling of his hands on his back and in his hair. Alex wanted to remember every feeling conveyed, both the ones said aloud and the unspoken ones.

When they finally broke apart, Alex tried to catch his breath, which was easier said than done, as John's hands were still trailing across Alex's waist and making him shiver. 

"So," said John breathlessly, "Are we dating or something?"

Alex laughed. "I'd say yes, based on the last hour or so."

"Good," said John, cupping Alex's jaw in his hand and tracing a thumb over his cheeks. "That sounds perfect, Alexander." 

 

Alex wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but eventually kissing and cuddling turned to sleeping. Alex woke up with his head on John’s chest and one of John’s hands tangled in his hair, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling gently as he slept. Alex took a moment to look at John Laurens, the brilliant, beautiful man who had showed him so much kindness, and who, apparently, loved him back. Not only that, but they had spent the better part of last night making out.

Alex leaned his head back to John’s chest and closed his eyes.

 _I can get used to this,_ he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaand, that's the end! Thank you guys so much for reading this, I hope it didn't suck. I have some ideas for other stuff, so I'll definitely be writing more, and I miiiiight have something else in this universe at some point. Not sure yet. Suggestions, pointers, and overexcited screaming appreciated as usual :)
> 
> French:  
> très horrible - very horrible  
> Dis moi tout - tell me everything  
> que?!? - what?!?  
> c'est évident - it's obvious  
> tu peux parler à John Laurens - you can talk to John Laurens  
> bon chance - good luck


End file.
